NFL notebook: Birds' Mularkey cancels meeting with the Broncos

Posted: Friday, January 07, 2011

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey has canceled his interview with the Denver Broncos to talk about their head coaching vacancy.

"I respect the decision that Mike Mularkey has made to not interview with the Broncos at this time," John Elway, the Broncos' new executive vice president of football operations, who is spearheading the search, said via his official Twitter account. "I wish coach Mularkey and the Atlanta Falcons the best of luck in the playoffs."

Mularkey was set to interview with the Broncos tonight. ESPN reported that Mularkey wants to focus on the playoffs but will still interview with the Cleveland Browns on Saturday because they called him first. The network also said Mularkey would be open to an interview with the Broncos if the job is still open after the Falcons' season is over.

Mularkey's move led to speculation that he wasn't sold on Tim Tebow as the Broncos quarterback.

When talking about coaching candidates during his re-introductory news conference Wednesday, Elway said, "I don't believe that anyone is going to come over and say, 'I don't want Tim Tebow.' If they do, then maybe they are not the right guy for the job."

New OT rules in effect this weekend

NEW YORK - As if NFL coaches needed something else to worry about.

When the playoffs begin this weekend, they will feature a new rule for overtime. That field goal to win the game on the opening series of the extra session? Forget it.

If a team wins the coin toss and receives the overtime kickoff, it does not automatically win the game if it kicks a field goal. The team that kicked off then gets a possession.

If the trailing team also kicks a field goal, the game continues. If it scores a touchdown, it wins. And if it does not get any points, it loses.

"It's another component of a football game," said Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy, whose Packers are at Philadelphia on Sunday. "I clearly understand why the rule was changed, the fairness to give both teams the opportunity to have the ball. I don't think it's a huge deal."

The tweak was made last March, two months after Garrett Hartley's field goal won the NFL championship game for New Orleans over Minnesota on the opening series of OT. While that kick prompted an early Mardi Gras for Saints fans, it gave impetus to suggestions there might be a fairer way to determine outcomes in overtime.

Team owners passed the change only for the playoffs, but reserved the right to add it to the regular season if it works well.

Harbaugh met Thursday with Ross in the San Francisco area about the Dolphins' coaching job, two people with knowledge of the situation said. Both spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the meeting was to remain confidential.

Ross flew from his home in New York to San Jose, Calif., for the visit even while Tony Sparano remained Miami's coach. A late-season collapse by the Dolphins left Sparano's job in jeopardy.

While Stanford may lose Harbaugh, Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck opted to stay in college to get his degree instead of immediately cashing in on the riches of being the likely No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Luck announced his decision Thursday.

Harbaugh met Wednesday with the San Francisco 49ers about their coaching vacancy and may consider other suitors as well.

Landing Harbaugh will require a significant financial commitment. Elway has said he hopes to interview Harbaugh for the Broncos' job, and new 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is looking for the coach to replace Mike Singletary, who was fired.

If Harbaugh reaches an agreement with the Dolphins, he would become their sixth coach since 2004. They haven't won a playoff game since 2000 and haven't reached the Super Bowl since 1984.